We all know AP has been real sticklers in the past year or so about people copying text from their articles. They have taken down many a blog post and have sent not nice emails to many bloggers. Unfortunately it doesn’t look like AP is following their own rules.

In a recent article they quoted a blog post from woot.com’s official blog. They didn’t even link back to the original post! The CEO of Woot.com then found out about them stealing his content.

Woot then decided accordingly to AP’s rules that they owed them 17.50. Everyone knew that Woot was joking(as they always do). But obviously the big wigs at AP didn’t. They sent an email to MG Siegler & the guys at Woot.  That went like this.

MG Siegler:

Surely you’ll also want your readers to know that The Associated Press INTERVIEWED Mr. Rutledge, as this version of the “newsy little thing” you cite makes clear: http://bit.ly/cl8JlX

Meanwhile, AP staffers across the Gulf region and in Washington continue to provide comprehensive coverage of the oil spill.

You’ll find highlights of that coverage here: http://www.ap.org/oil_spill/

Cheers,

Paul Colford

If AP had sent Woot the money or even if they said nothing. AP would be much better off in my book. It is obvious they are way to uptight about protecting their content. Then to top it off they don’t even fallow their own rules. Also what is with their mention of the oil spill articles at the end of the email. I don’t understand what they were trying to get across to  MG when they added that little tidbit in. Seriously AP, grow up.